New study: Deficiency of essential vitamin may increase your risk of dementia

by time news

It directs your immune cells to attack viruses, and it helps your body absorb essential nutrients.

Vitamin D plays a key role in several bodily functions. And a lack of the vitamin has in recent years been linked to everything from weaker bones to autoimmune diseases.

A new study from the University of South Australia shows that a deficiency in this tiny molecule can also increase your risk of dementia.

Diseases could have been avoided

The researchers of the new study ran blood samples and brain scans from as many as 294,514 people at a large British biobank.

They discovered a link between low vitamin D levels in the blood – less than 25 nanomoles per liter – and an increased risk of dementia and thrombosis.

In the study, the researchers stated that 50 nanomoles of vitamin D per liter of blood is a normal amount. According to them, it can make a huge difference if a very low vitamin D level is raised to a normal level in someone.

“For example, in the UK population we saw that up to 17 percent of dementia cases could have been prevented if vitamin D levels had been raised to normal levels,” said lead researcher and professor Elina Hypponen in a press release.

Professor: Vitamin D is only one aspect

According to the WHO, at least 55 million people worldwide suffer from dementia, and that number is expected to explode with nearly 10 million new cases per year.

That is why scientists worldwide are looking for solutions to prevent the chronic and progressive diseases. And the amount of vitamin D in the blood may be one of the factors worth looking at.

Gunhild Waldemar, clinical professor of neurology at the University of Copenhagen and director of the Danish National Knowledge Center for Dementia, explains. She is not involved in the new study, but is not surprised by the result. She calls it “strong evidence that vitamin D deficiency is a risk factor for dementia.”

‘In the past we have seen smaller studies that indicate a link between a deficiency of vitamin D and the risk of dementia. But here we have a strong study with many, many participants, so that’s interesting,” she says.

However, she emphasizes that the study’s conclusion is based on people with very low vitamin D levels, and that vitamin D is far from the only factor if you want to do something yourself to prevent dementia.

‘First have your vitamin D level measured by a doctor, then you will know whether it is very low or not. But don’t expect to be able to prevent dementia by taking vitamin D. There are many other risk factors to consider, such as alcohol, smoking and lack of exercise,” she warns.

At the same time, she emphasizes that there are of course factors that are beyond our control.

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